First viewed : 9 April 1988
This famous late night Channel Four discussion show began in 1987 but I didn't catch it until the one about horse racing which was broadcast on the same day as the Grand National. The host was , yet again, Tony Wilson, although this changed regularly. Among the guests were the Duchess of Argyll , some Communist guy and racing pundit John McCririck. I already loathed McCririck as a tiresome professional eccentric but hitherto I'd no idea that he was a hate figure in Liverpool for his right wing views about the city's problems. He lost no time in reiterating them ; his main bugbear seemed to be that Liverpudlians had played no part in securing the future of Aintree racecourse after a decade of uncertainty because they were all workshy scroungers. Naturally, our Commie friend didn't see eye to eye wit him on that. The Duchess sat patiently through that until Wilson invited her to expound her views on overuse of the whip. She said she didn't like it and then buggered off. McCririck the toady cried "Stand for Her Grace !" which Wilson and most of the other guests obeyed but the Communist stayed put in his seat.
The other one I recall was about press intrusion and ethics and was dominated by recently disgraced ex-Tory MP Harvey Proctor who'd been caught out with underage rent boys. The programme brought him face to face with some of his persecutors in the press. Proctor's a scary looking bloke anyway but the looks he was giving them suggested he could pull a knife out any moment. Although the only sympathy he got on the programme came from Christine Keeler , his steadiness under fire did lead to increased investment in his new shirt selling venture. I also recall gossip columnist Nina Myskow's striking admission that the story, of her going to bed with a contestant, twenty years her junior, in a male beauty contest she was judging, was actually true.
In both cases , I think I only watched the first thirty minutes or so. It was just on too late and with no scheduled end time you could end up watching it until the early hours.
The series is most infamous for Oliver Reed's appearance in 1991 when he gave an unwanted kiss to a dowdy feminist he referred to as "Big Tits" and got asked to leave the show. It was axed , amid much protest, by Michael Grade in 1991 though sporadic revivals have taken place.
The "British Intelligence" one (not hosted by Wilson) was pretty interesting, though I did wonder how much of the tales told may have been exaggerated, especially given the numerous bottles of booze seen amongst the guests.
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